snow goose. 209 



The Snow Goose. 

 Anser Hyperboreus, Pallas, 



Plumage of the adult bird, pure white, with a red bill 

 and bluish tip : orbits and feet red : fore part of the 

 head fulvous. 



Adult. — Anser Hyperboreus, Pallas, Spec. Zool. vi. 26. 

 North. Zool. ii. Anas Hyperborea, Wilson, pi. 68. f. 5., 

 male. 2^emminck, Man. ii. 816. iinow Goo^e, Pennant, Arct. 

 Zool. ii. 479. Wilson, viii. 76. Oie Hyperbor^e, ou de 

 Niege, Temm. Man. ii. 816. 



Young. — Anas cterulescens, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. Gmelin, i. 

 513. Latham, Index Om, ii. 836. Blue-winged Goose, 

 Edwards, pi. 152. Pennant, Arct. Zool. ii. 474. Latham, 

 Gen. Syn. vi. 469. Gen. Hist. x. 232. Young of the Snow 

 Goose, Wilson, pi. 59. f. 5. 



Although this goose extends its range into the northern 

 countries of Europe, it seems much more common in 

 Arctic America. M. Temminck- and others mention it 

 as one of the regular migrators into the eastern parts of 

 Europe ; although it is but an occasional visiter in 

 Prussia and Austria, and has never been found in Hol- 

 land. Wilson says that the Americans call it the red 

 goose, probably from the colour of its bill and feet. It 

 seems to leave its breeding places in the arctic regions 

 of North America in September, and arrives in the River 

 Delaware, sometimes in considerable flocks, early in 

 November : they are then very noisy, for their notes 

 are shriller and more squeaking than those of the Cana- 

 dian species. On their first arrival they make but a 

 short stay, proceeding further to the south as the depth 

 of winter approaches ; but from the middle of February 

 until the ice breaks up in March, they are often abun- 

 dant on the shores of the Delaware, where they feed 

 upon the roots of the reeds, which they tear up from the 

 marshes like hogs. Latham, Avho derived his inform- 

 ation from that little known, but far better ornithologist, 

 Mr. Hutchins, says that this species is very numerous 

 in Hudson's Bay ; that they visit Severn River in May, 



